Internal-combustion engine



March 4 1924. 1,485,527

c. REINEKE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed OCb. l.. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet1 /367 swcuoz Ci Non m March 4 w24.

C. FENEKE INTERNAL coMBUsTloN ENGINE Filed OC. l, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Mar. 4, 1924.

UNITED STATES CHARLES REINEKE, 0F NFUTV YORK, N. Y.

IN'rEaNAL-comBUsTioN ENGINE Application med Dctober 1. 1920. Serial N.414,048.

To all whom it may com/ccm.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES RnrNnxE, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description V'ofthe invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains-to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to internal com-. bustion engines, and moreparticularly to the type of multi-stroke engine set forth in myco-pending application Serial Number 396,902,61edJu1y 17, 1920.

An object of the present invention is to produce a novel'powertransmitting mechanism wherein the reciprocating movement of the pistonsis converted into a relatively slow rotary movement by theinterpositioning of gearing.-

Another object of this invention is the production of a multi-strokeinternal combustion engine in which the yrelatively rapid reciprocatingmovement of the pistons is transmitted to a power shafty in a smooth andpositive manner and without the interpositioning of the usual crank.

A further object of the invention is tov produce a multi-stroke enginehaving opposed pistons and means for synchronizing the movements ofopposite pistons in adjacent cylinders .for evenly transmitting thepower from said piston to a relatively slow moving shaft.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and easilyconstructed engine wherein advantages of assembling, re pair and lowcost of production are important factors.

With these and other objects Ain view my invention further consists inthe construction and arrangement of the several parts hereinafterdescribed and pointed out in u the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which corresponding referencecharacters designate similar parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through my.- improved engine;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View on the line 3 3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating another form of gearingcapable of transmitting power.

The present invention has been desi ed with a view to obtaining a.simple and direct transmission of the reciprocatory movement of thepistons to a power shaft. In marine internal combustion engines, forexam le, it is desirable to obtain a relatively s ow speed of thepropeller shaft as compared with the' high speed Vpiston travel and tothis end I have applied to my multi-stroke motor, a positive form ofinterconnected gearing for transmitting steady and maximum power. Itwill be understood, however, that my engine is equally applicable toother uses of either stationary or mobile character, such for example,as heavy duty power generating plants, automobiles and the like. 'Itwill be further understood that oil, compressed air, steam and otherpower mediums may be employed, and various other changes made in thedesign and construction ofmy engine to 'provide for these several'motive agents, and I do not limit myself totheexact disclosures hereinshown and described.: t' v Referring to the-drawings, `in which I haveshown -for example a two cylinder type of engine, the base 1 may be ofany design, to which are secured at 24the cylinders 3.

Operable within the cylinders 3 are opposedA pistons 4 and 5, betweenwhich the fuel charge is admitted and red in any` approved manner. Thefuel charge may be forced into the cylinders by means of auxiliary. orcrank case compression, and any approved type of valve control fortheinlet and exhaust'of said charges throu h ports 7 and 8, may beprovide as will e understood.

The lower pistons 5 are each provided with freely revolvable' rollers 10Ydesigned to operate ybetween cooperating arms or wings carried by camelements 11 and 1 2. Frame sections 9 are connected to the upper piston4 and are provided with rollers 10 designed to operate betweencooperatingarms or wings ofthe cam elements. As shown, each cam elementis formed with four arms o r wings, but it will be understood that thisnumber may be varied to increase or decrease the number of strokes ofthe engine.

In operation it will be seen that as the pistons 4 and 5 are separated,the rollers 10 carried by the lower piston A4 will move or scissordownwardly between the cooperat-in arms of the cam elements 11 and 12;an the rollers carried by the frame sections 9 .connected to the upperpistons will move or scissor upwardly between other of said camelements, thereby revolving Athe same -in is secured another worm 2Oadapted to mesh with a worm gear 21 secured to the main or power shaft22 of the engine.

The 4shafts 13 are arranged upm each side of the intermediate shaft 14,and are 1 journa-lled in bearings 23 provided on other I cross websofthe base 1.

Worms 24are secured to each shaft 13, and are designed to mesh withrespective worm gears 25 se'cured to vertically disposed shafts 26. Tothe ends of the respective shafts 26 are secured other worms 27 which.

worm gears 28" are adapted to mesh with secured to the main or owershaft 22.'

It will be obvious t at these res ctive sets of separated mechanisms arerig t and left arrangements -of worm gearing interconnected as shownupon opposite sides of the main shaft 422, thereby. serving to evenlybalance the thrusts and associated movements of the several parts.

It will also be apparent that the opposite rotation of the cam elementsand their supporting shafts is changed by the aforesaid gearing to asingle direction of rotation in the main or power shaft 22.

In the form of gearing shown in Figure 4, wherein a series of ordinaryspur ears is utilized, the respective shafts 13 an 14 are each providedwith a single gear of a different size.4` For example the large gear 29is secured to the shaft 14, and is adapted to mesh with a. similar gear30 carried by the' main shaft 22. The associated shaft 13 has securedthereto a relatively smaller gear 31 designed to mesh with an interposedidler gear 32, which latter in turn meshes with a similar gear 34securedto the main shaft 22.

From this construction it will be seen that the opposite rotations ofthe shafts 13 and 14 are directly converted by this form of interposedgearing' so that the driven main shaft 22 rotates in a single direction.

Any type of mechanism can be connected to the main shaft 22 as will beunderstood.

The means for synchronizing the opposite pistons .of adjacent cylinderscomprises a connection 35 suitably guided in a sleeve 36,

A -worm 16 is secured to the Vlng a single revolution and having-itsrespective ends connected to' the lower piston 5 in .one cylinder at 37and the upper' piston 4 in an adjacent cylinder at 38. By `thisconstruction the pistons are kept in timed relation and are preventedfrom dropping or setting in an uneven manner when the engine is stopped.v

From the foregoing it will be obvious that I have produced a highlyeilicient and easily driven motor, the reciprocating piston travel ofwhich i's bot-h. reduced and converted so that relatively low butmaximum driving power of the main shaftl is obtained.-

lfclalm: v

1 In an internal combustion engine the combination with a cylinderof'opposed pistons arranged therein, a 'power shaft, and

means interposed between said pistons and power shaft whereby amultiplicity of'power strokes of the pistons. is required Afor effectinga single revolution ofthe power shaft,`

said. means including oppositely moving cams cooperatively associatedwith said' pistons and a gearing connecting the cams-to the power shaftfor driving said power shaft.

In an internalcombustion engine the combination with a cylinderofopposed pistons larranged therein, a-power shaft, and

means interposed between's'aid pistons and power shaft whereby amultiplicity of strokes of the pistons is required for effecting asingle revolution of the. ower shaft, said means including oppositely-revolvable cams cooperatively associated with said pistons and a.series of gears operatively` connected with said cams for driving thesaid power shaft.

3. In. an internal combustion4 engine' the combination with a cylinderof opposed pistons arranged therein, a power shaft, and means interposedbetween said pistons and power shaft whereby a multiplicity of strokesof the pistons is required for effecting a single revolution of thepower shaft, said means including oppositely revolvable cams, shafts forsaid cams, and a. series of gears interposed between the said shafts andthe aforesaid power shaft for driving the 5. In an internal combustion`engine the' combination with a cylinder of opposed pistons arrangedtherein, a power shaft, and

means interposed between said pistons and power shaft whereby amultiplicity of strokes of the pistons is required for eiecting a singlerevolution of the power shaft, said means including oppositelyrevolvable cams and associated rollers, and gears interconnected withsaid cams and the aforesaid power shaft.

6. In an internal combustion engine the combination with a cylinder ofopposed pistons arranged therein, a power shaft, and means interposedbetween said pistons and power shaft whereby a multiplicity of strokesof the pistons is required for effecting a'single revolution of thepower shaft, said means including cams having oppositely revolvableradial arms, rollers adapted to operate between the said arms, and aseries of gears interposed between said cams and the power shaft.

7. In an internal combustion engine the combination with a cylinder, ofaf plurality of pistons arranged therein, a power shaft, and meansinterposed between said power shaft and the aforesaid pistons whereby amultiplicity of strokes of the pistons is required for effecting asingle revolution of the power shaft, said means including oppositelyrevolvable cams, and two series of meshing gears for transmitting. themotion from the oppositely revolvablecams to the power shaft.

8. In an internal cbmbustion engine the combination with a cylinder, ofa plurality of pistons arranged/therein, a power shaft, and means interosed between said power shaft and the a oresaid pistons whereby amultiplicity of strokes of the pistons is required for effecting asingle revolution of the power shaft, said means including oppositelyrevolvable cams, and two series of worm gears for transmitting themotion from the oppositely revolvable cams to the power shaft.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature, in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

, CHARLES REINEKE. Witnesses G. O. Porn, J. FRANK HALL.

